Apparatus for continuous metal casting and parts thereof



Aug. 28, 1962 L. M. LIPMAN, ETAL 3,050,792

APPARATUSFOR commuous METAL CASTING AND PARTS THEREOF Filed Aug. '27,1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mum/e0 M. ZIP/419M M wneey MUEE/S.

ATTORNEY Aug. 28, 1962 M. LIPMAN ETAL. 3,050,792

APPARATUS'FOR CONTINUOUS METAL CASTING AND PARTS THEREOF Filed Aug. 27,1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATT RNEY INVENTORSV United States Patent O3,050,792 APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS METAL CASTING AND PARTS THEREOFLeonard M. Lipman, Hillside, and Harry Morris, Oradell, N..l., assignorsto Warner Mfg. Corp., Bloomfield, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey FiledAug. 27, 1959, Ser. No. 836,392 2 Claims. (Cl. 2257.2)

This invention relates to novel apparatus and to novel parts thereof.More specifically this invention is directed to novel apparatus employedin the pouring or casting of aluminum and also to novel parts thereof.

The primary object of this invention is to provide novel spouts and alsomeans in combination with a float and adapted to cooperate with saidnovel spout to cut-oil and also permit the flow of molten aluminum inthe casting of aluminum. The object of this invention has been achievedby making simple, yet significant modifications in both the spouts andsuch means of the prior art.

The foregoing, aswell as other objects and advantages of the presentinvention will be readily apparent, to those skilled in the art ofcasting, from the following description taken in conjunction with theappended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view of a portion ofnovel apparatus employed in the pouring or casting of aluminum, andshows the relative positions of the parts while the molten metal travelsfrom the nove spout through the float and into the mold.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 and shows the change in position ofthe stool and also of the float with the latter due to the change in thelevel of the molten metal in themold whereby the float is in cut-offposition to prevent the flow of metal from the spout and into the moldat that stage.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line III-III of Fl G. l in thedirection of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line IV IV of FIG. 2 in thedirection of the arrows.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the novel spout, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 6 is .a perspective view of float and novel hanging means, shown inFIGS. 1 and 2.

As shown, there is a portion of a circular pouring pan 10 for receivingmolten aluminum. Secured to said pan 10 are a plurality of dependingspouts 11, only one of which is shown to illustrate the invention. Eachspout 11 may be composed of grey iron or other appropriate material, hasa head 12 secured to the pan l0 and depending therefrom, and has acentral opening extending lengthwise thereof and communicating with saidpan 10.

According to this invention that portion of the spout 11 below pan 10,which is otherwise cylindrical, is enlarged at an appreciable andmaterial distance above the lower extremity thereof, with saidenlargement being preferably in the shape of an inverted frustro-cone 20to provide an annular shoulder 21 whose diameter is materially greaterthan that of the cylindrical portion of the spout 11 therebelow andthereabove.

The lower end of said novel spouts 11 extends into and is disposed inthe upper part of a mold 30, and below the lower end of each spout 11 isa stool 31 extending into and disposed in the lower end of mold 30 andis adapted 'to travel awayfrom the lower end of spout 11 due to "icemarginal portion thereof, a'short cylindrical portion 43 extendingupwardly from the bottom portion 41 and having a top portion 44 withcentral opening 45 whose diameter is slightly larger than the lowercylindrical portion of spout 11. The portions 41, 43, and 44 are allsecured to each other by the locking nuts and bolts 46.

Also according to this invention, a plurality and as shown a pair ofdiametrically disposed supporting wires or rods 50 are secured to thefloat 40 through a pair of said diametrically disposed nuts and bolts 46and extend upwardly therefrom. A ring 51 whose internal diameter isapproximately that of the opening 45 in the float is disposed above thefloat, is welded to the rods 51 and is substantially concentric withrespect to opening 45. This ring 51, which may be continuous or split asshown, serves to lock wires or rods 50 in position and maintain them insubstantially fixed relation with respect to each other and also servesas a guide for the lower end of spout 11' coupled therewith. Theportions of rods or wires 50 extending upwardly from the float 40' tosaid ring 51 are approximately parallel to each other. The portion ofeach rod or wire 50, above ring 51, which may be flexed by hand, is bentoutwardly and the ends 53 thereof are bent inwardly towards each otherand preferably inwardly and downwardly as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and S.The distance between the extremities or the bearing portions 55 of therods or wires 50 and the upper face of the top portion 44 of the floatis less than the distance between the supporting shoulder 21 of spout 11and the lowermost face thereof. 1

According to this invention, each float 40 is coupled with a spent 11,by inserting the lower end of the spout through ring 51 and into thechamber of the float 40 and in the course of this procedure, theextremities 55 of the ends 52 bear against 20 whereby the divergingportions of rods or wires50 are flexed outwardly until the extremities55 are positioned immediately above the annular shoulder 21 whereuponsaid diverging portions of the rods or wires 50 automatically flex-backand return to their original positions and the extremities 55 of theends 52 bear against the shoulder 21 to support or free-hang the float40 in position as shown in FIG. 1. In this position the lower end ofspout 11 supporting the freely hanging float 40, is spaced from theupper face of the bottom portion 41 of float 40 and molten metal fromthe pan 10 may pass from said pan through spout 11 into the chamber offloatv 40 through its openings 42-and into the mold 30 closed by stool31, as shown in FIG. I. In the course of continuous casting, the levelof the molten metal in each of the molds sometimes tends to rise above apredetermined level notwithstanding predetermined rate of movement ofeach stool 31 away from the lower end of each spout 11, as said stoolsare moved downwardly by travel of elevator 15 to which they are coupled.In the event the level of the molten metal in any of the molds risesabove said predetermined level as shown in FIG. 2', the float 40 in thatparticular mold is automatically lifted by said metal to force theupper' face of the lower portion thereof against the lowermost extremityof spout ll'coupled therewith thereby to shutoff the flow of moltenmetal into that particular mold as shown in FIG. 2. This shut-off ismaintained in only that mold until the metal in said mold is withdrawnto such degree by subsequent movement of stool 31 that the upper levelof the metal in the mold is lowered whereupon the float 40 and hangers50 automatically drop to their original position and flow of metal intothe mold is resumed as shown in FIG. 1.

While the invention has been described in detail, it is not to' belimited to the exact constructions shown and described which are givenmerely by way of example 3 and illustrate a preferred embodimentthereof. It is understood that various changes and modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. In an apparatus for continuous casting and including a pour pan, aspout depending therefrom, a mold, a movable stool, and a float, theimprovement comprising in combination therewith a shoulder on aninverted frustro-conical portion of said spout, and means for hangingsaid float on said shoulder whereby said float is movable up and down inresponse to the level of metal in said mold to automatically prevent andpermit the flow of'r'netal from said pan into and through said spout andfloat into said mold, with said means comprising a plurality of elementssecured to said float and extendihg upwardly therefrom, with the freeends of said elements extending inwardly from said upwardlyextending'pojrtions thereof and adapted to rest on said shoulder tosupport said float in its lowermost position, said elementsbeingresiliently flexible thereby capable of being deformed Y outwardly whenslid over said frustro-conical portion and then returned inwardly todispose said ends on said shoulder.

2. In an apparatus for continuous casting and including a pour pan, amold, a spout depending therefrom and extending into the upper end ofsaid mold, movable stool extending into the lower end of said mold and'movable away from said spout in the course of continuous casting, and afloat having an opening therethrough for 7 4 the passage of moltenmetal, said float located in said mold, with a portion thereof disposedbetween said spout and said stool, the improvement comprising incombinai tion therewith a shoulder on an inverted fr'ustro-conicah,

portion of said spout, and means for hanging said float on said shoulderwhereby said floatis movable up and down in response to the level ofmetal in' said mold to automatically shut-off and permit the flow ofmetal from said spout, said means comprising a plurality of elementshaving the lower ends'thereof secured to said float and extendingupwardly therefrom, means secured to the lower portion of said elementsto maintain said portions in substantially fixed relationship withrespect to each I other, and adapted to accommodate the lower end ofsaid spout for extension therethrough, the upper free ends of saidelements extending inwardly towards each other and adapted to rest onsaid shoulder to maintain 'said float in its lowermost position, saidelements being resiliently flexible thereby capable of being deformedoutwardly when slid over said frustro-conical portion and then returnedinwardly to dispose said ends on said shoulder.

References Cited in the file of this patent I UNITED STATES PATENTS

